One afternoon, a high school teacher noted that about half of the students in her class were missing. On her desk were piles of ‘excuse slips’ from those students, each stating that he or she wasn’t feeling well. The excuse was glaringly too awkward to be true that those students found themselves in the principal’s office the following day.

This left those students no choice but to blurt out the truth about why they took the afternoon off --- or how else could they deny the sun-kissed tan colored traces that were strong hints about their itinerary? One of them happened to live in near a beach resort and the group decided to get together just before they march out of high school. While reprimanded, the principal and teacher were kind enough to let go of the matter, notwithstanding due warnings that this thing ought not to be done again.

This is a true story that happened over a decade ago (March 6, 1991 to be exact) very shortly before high school graduation. My youngest sister was among those students. Christabel was on her 4^th year in high school when she and her classmates did a one-time-big-time escape.

Looking back, Christabel says that the escape proved to be a very memorable experience among her classmates. It bonded their friendship stronger. Even today when they have their own families, the ‘gang’ makes it a point to meet --- maybe not necessarily in a resort--- but just some place where they can get together again and relieve those ‘crazy, hazy days’ of high school.

It’s just sad that one of her classmates Mark Russel already passed away due to a car crash a few years after. To think that it was he was the one who felt strongly about the sweet escape they did because that day happened to be his birthday. All the more reason why these former high school students never regret what they did.

Yesterday Once More (Carpenters)

When I was young
I’d listened to the radio
Waitin? for my favorite songs
When they played I’d sing along
It made me smile

Those were such happy times
And not so long ago
How I wondered where they’d gone
But they’re back again
Just like a long lost friend
All the songs I loved so well

(*) every sha-la-la-la

Every wo-wo-wo still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling

That they’re starting to sing’s so fine

When they get to the part
Where he’s breakin’ her heart
It can really make me cry
Just like before
It’s yesterday once more

Lookin’ back on how it was
In years gone by
And the good times that I had
Makes today seem rather sad
So much has changed

It was songs of love that
I would sing to then
And I’d memorize each word
Those old melodies
Still sound so good to me
As they melt the years away

Repeat (*)